The Changing Face of Fashion

Welcome to my thoughts on the changing face of fashion and truths that we all need to be aware of.

A Blessing and a Curse

Fashion. For many it is a word that uplifts and inspires. Fashion
motivates thousands of people to dress themselves up with extra effort and
planning, to look as good as they can. To spend and indulge so as to be
acceptable in the fashion community.

For others, fashion is a depressing word. A word that brings
up the idea of not-being-good-enough or not looking hot enough to be on Instagram.

Yes, the changing face of fashion can be scary. It can make
shopping and fashion choices daunting. Why? Because a lot of the time fashion
is like that flashy sports car that we just cannot keep up with - It is always moving so fast. The face of fashion is constantly changing,
and trying to keep up can put you out of breath sometimes.

Whether we realise it or not, our daily decisions as to what
we will wear are shaped at least to a degree by fashion. Then there is the fact
that the forces of fashion largely determine what is available to buy. And this
changes as so often as the decision makers change their view of what is 'the in
thing'.

What do we mean when we talk about the changing face of
fashion?

It is the idea that items we now take for granted were once
the latest style. Public opinion of what is fashionable is repeatedly updated
with trends thrown back and forth.

For many it may seem like their wardrobe is having déjà vu.
With fashion's ever-revolving door, trends we thought were dead and buried in
the back of our closets are back.

Here are some examples of trends we've seen again:

The Plaid Flannel - 90's grunge is back

The Perm

The Boot cut jean from 2004

90's Overalls

The Choker necklace from the 90's

The 90's Doc Martens

Leather Biker Jacket

Big, Blown out Hair

Floral Skater Dress

Jelly Sandals- First Appearing shortly after WW II

Sky-High Platforms- Inspired by the Spice Girls

Scrunchies

Pink Streaks

The Denim Jacket

The Crop Top

Two things that help the changing face of fashion:
Novelty and Conformity.

Two basic desires fuel the fashion industry- novelty and
conformity.

Novelty- The need for newness

Nearly everyone likes to wear something new. Many times we buy clothes, not because an
older garment has worn out, but simply because we want a change.

Conformity - Fitting in

At the same time, we do not want to look out of place, so we
buy clothes that conform - to some degree- to the style worn by our associates.
Over the centuries the fashion industry has catered to and sometimes exploited
these desires for novelty and conformity.

The Dark Side of Glamour

There are some problems that appear due to the constantly changing face of fashion. Shoppers
can become trapped in an endless cycle of replenishing their wardrobe. After
all, the industry keeps churning out new styles.

The changing face of fashion, is no accident. Fashion
companies make more money when clothes become obsolete quickly.

As designer Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel put it, 'fashion is made
to become unfashionable'. What happens? The cycle of buying - The unwary consumer
feels obligated to buy new clothes just to keep up to date.

The Snare In Advertising

Advertising also plays a massive role. Fashion companies
spend millions of dollars promoting their products, sometimes making you feel
that you NEED items. There is also a certain carefree life-style that those who
wear the labels supposedly enjoy.

Nothing is more traumatic for teenagers that not having the 'right
brand' of shoes.

Following the fashion trends sometimes boosts
self-confidence and seems to make some people feel like they have an identity
within their society.

Fashion can be fun & exciting, but sometimes we have to be careful not to be dragged in and succumb
to all the pressure.

There are many things we buy that should last us way more
than we allow them to. It normally links
to the idea of being judged- and having to update our wardrobes way too often
than we really need to.

Here are some things I think are important to keep in
mind, things that the changing face of fashion has taught me.

Three things the changing face of fashion has taught me

1. Don’t be a Fashionista for the sake of friends.

In view of the transient nature of fashion, this is quite a
handy tip to keep in mind. At best, the latest style of fashion will only last
for while. So it is best not to make it your whole life. It is not a good idea
to change the way you dress in order to conform to a particular group, or just
to impress.

You should not feel like you have to always follow the trend. Good
friends will neither force you nor expect you to keep changing just to keep up
with the latest style.

You know you are in the wrong mix if you are being
forced to re-do your entire look to be 'fashionable'.

Don’t allow something that changes so often to control your life or you will
likely lose your happiness.

You will be giving yourself a lot of unnecessary and
tiresome work. True friends will love you to wear you are and not try to mold
you to the Fashion World's expectations.

At the same time, you shouldn’t judge people because they don’t
follow the fads

You meet someone who looks so 2013. So what? People can
still look good even when they are not wearing the latest labels, contrary to
popular belief / what the fashion industry tries to convince us.

2. Dressing is not rigid -There is no' right' or 'wrong' way.

The changing face of fashion has taught me this: What is
considered amazing today can be shunned tomorrow, and vice versa.

Dressing is
not as rigid as some fashion organizations make it out to be. Most times, there
is no right or wrong.

In the end it is personal choice and you shouldn’t feel
bad for doing it your way. Advertising often tries to make us feel that you absolutely cant do this, or you must do that. But that idea is controlling and is often used to sell
products.

The secret lies in learning to buy clothes that suit you,
that are practical, that combine well with what you already have, and that
won't quickly go out of fashion. Besides that, there really are no rules as to
what is fashionable and what is not.

Sometimes you have to ask yourself: Am I a Slave to Fashion?

Am I doing this just because it is the 'in thing' at the moment?

Will this outfit become redundant in a few weeks?

And I allowing the Fashion Industry to dictate what I should buy?

3. Save money- dress for comfort

Trying to chase the latest fashion can be expensive. Let's
be real. If you followed all the fashion trends as they come, you could likely
end up broke.

You do yourself a favour when you do not allow yourself to be
manipulated by the media, when you make your own fashion decisions.

If you
dress in a dignified, modest way you will have more self-confidence and save a
lot of money!

Thank you for reading my thoughts and tips on the changing
face of fashion. Join the discussion, what fashion fads have you seen come and
go, what are you tips?